STAMFORD — Gloria Gonzalez’s 14-year-old daughter knew her mother needed some relief.She watches her mother struggle each day to care for her three children, including an 11-year-old boy with autism who requires round-the-clock care.So she spearheaded an effort to surprise her mom with a $500 gift through the Giving Fund, a yearly initiative between the Stamford Advocate, Greenwich Time and local nonprofits Family Centers and Person-to-Person that provides small grants to people in need around the holidays.“I had no idea,” Gonzalez said. “It was so unexpected.”A Stamford resident of 22 years, Gonzalez says everyday is a struggle to make ends meet.“My daughter has been going through a lot with me and her brother,” the 36-year-old Gonzalez said. “She is like a second mother to my son, and she’s very empathetic and smart and in tune with what goes on around her. So, she knows what a struggle the past several years have been with taking care of my son, and she sees all the stuff we go through with him.”Gonzalez has not been able to work for years in order to care for her son, often toting him to numerous medical and therapy appointments.“It’s exhausting and sometimes you want to give up because it’s so hard,” she said. “But he needs me, and who’s going to take care of him if I don’t? Not many people understand how hard it can be caring for a child with autism. It affects every area of our lives and it can be very difficult to get the proper help and services.”Gonzalez, whose oldest son is 18 years old, said her husband’s work as a landscaper is slow during the winter months, placing a further strain on the family’s finances.“He gets a little work, probably 20 or 25 hours most weeks, but landscaping services are not needed as much during the winter,” she said. “So, it’s especially hard during the winter, with less money coming in and the holidays.”In recent months, Gonzalez said she and her son have settled into a routine that appears to be helping him. They’ve found effective therapies, he’s attending a special school where he gets the support he needs and his medications seem to be working. But all of those things cost money and time each day.Gonzalez hopes her son’s improvements will allow her to return to work soon.“I want to go back to work at least part time, but then I think of my son and think who’s going to take care of him,” she said. “I can’t just leave him with a babysitter.”Gonzalez said she is a licensed nursing assistant and patient care technician. Gonzalez said she enjoyed those jobs, but as she struggled to navigate her son’s needs and find the proper care for him, she’s set her sights on a new goal.“I’d love to be a nurse, but there’s one thing I really want right now and that is to help the many parents with autistic children find the help they need for their families,” she said. “I’ve struggled a lot with my son and I know how hard it is, especially when you don’t know how to advocate for yourself, and I had to fight very hard to get the services my son needs.”With so much on her plate, Gonzalez said receiving a surprise gift from the Giving Fund was a huge help.“I want to thank Family Center because they’ve been very helpful,” she said. “They are very on top of everything, and I think it’s the best place to get help. They care about their clients.”“I also want to thank everyone who makes the Giving Fund possible — especially everyone who donated. Whatever they gave — $1 or $10 — God will give it back to them tenfold. They have no idea how much it helps us and how much it matters to us. Knowing that people care, that they want to help change lives, it means a lot. I’m very grateful and I’m very happy.”kat.russell@stamfordadvocate.com